Disabled Student's Allowance -- worth applying for mental health?

Indie_Kid

atypical wrote: »

Is it wrong for someone to query your entitlement?

I am not dmg; nor can I speak for her; but personally I do believe it's wrong for someone to question another person's entitlement to DSA. You don't know the full picture about their disabilities (all most people understand is that my vision is worse than normal and is more complicated than having poor vision) nor do you know their needs.

WolfSong2000

metalgal wrote: »

im heading to university in september and suffer from mental health issues. i telephoned the disability advisor as i know i will need some help. When i phoned she told me that i would need to apply for the DSA and if i was awarded it then she could help me with other things. Im not interested in a laptop etc, but i do want the pastoral support and to be placed in the smallest tutor groups etc. I also want them to know that i have difficulties and am not being lazy. Im applying for the DSA to get the support from the university. My husband is of the opinion "take it if its free" but i don't need it. What a weird system.

Pastoral care, support, etc you should get plenty of help with, so don't worry about it. My uni, certainly, is very good at this kind of thing from a support point of view, plus the staff tend to be very understanding as well so you should be fine. Obviously you don't need to discuss your issues with lecturers, but it's worth being totally open with student support, as the more they know and are aware of, the more they can help where required.

Indie_Kid

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

Obviously you don't need to discuss your issues with lecturers, but it's worth being totally open with student support, as the more they know and are aware of, the more they can help where required.

Er, you do have to discuss your issues with lecturers in order for them to help you. When I started, one lecturer was informed of my disabilities. She asked if I could talk to her, so that she can get a better understanding of what my needs are and what I need her to do for me.

Another lecturer was just informed that in her lecture, there are x amount of disabled students.

One wasn't even informed and I had to ask him if I could record his lecture and why I needed to do this.

WolfSong2000

sh1305 wrote: »

Er, you do have to discuss your issues with lecturers in order for them to help you. When I started, one lecturer was informed of my disabilities. She asked if I could talk to her, so that she can get a better understanding of what my needs are and what I need her to do for me.

Another lecturer was just informed that in her lecture, there are x amount of disabled students.

One wasn't even informed and I had to ask him if I could record his lecture and why I needed to do this.

It certainly helps discussing with lecturers, but it's not necessary - you can say, for instance, that you need to record lectures and have been in contact with student support, but you don't need to cite a reason. I had memory issues (possible epilepsy) and spoke to student support, who contacted lecturers and examiners saying I had memory issues which may affect my exam mark and could this be taken into consideration - no mention of *why* this was the case was needed. I only talked to one of my lecturers about it after the end of his course.

atypical

sh1305 wrote: »

I am not dmg; nor can I speak for her; but personally I do believe it's wrong for someone to question another person's entitlement to DSA. You don't know the full picture about their disabilities (all most people understand is that my vision is worse than normal and is more complicated than having poor vision) nor do you know their needs.

I generally agree with you. You can't make a judgement unless you know all of the facts. That means we rely on assessors to make the right assessment. But who monitors this? And do assessors feel they have the knowledge and freedom to customise support based on needs?

I'm sure there are many assessors who don't feel confident enough to make those decisions. The easy route would be to simply offer all the support available to a person based on their disability, rather than customising based on need. We are all inclined to take the path of least resistance unless there is incentive not to.

ellie101

OP, I think you should take advantage of as much support as possible (I'm not necessarily talking about a laptop, if you can afford I'd probably buy it myself).

But things like group support... study advice, I'd definitely go for it. I got a 2:2 in my degree because I didn't talk about it (I've had long-term depression and anxiety). This was also made a lot worse as I was caring for my terminally ill mother.

I wouldn't need printer cartridges/other practical support, but talking about it would have helped me a lot with deadlines etc.

I also had real issues with getting back to work after my mother's death and dealing with depression. Job centre were trying to get me to apply for any job as it's part of the new deal. I knew if I did any job I'd feel trapped and my depression would get triggered again... now I'm okay and back in work after a friend got me a job. Wish I'd gone to docs and explained to the job centre. May have made no difference but may have stopped me panicking at the time. I didn't get any support on here when I mentioned finding it hard to get back into work as I didn't mention mental illness at the time (and I think some of the posters had suffered from mental illness themselves, okay, perhaps people aren't mind-readers but I try not to judge, you don't know other's circumstances).

Always talk about it, I'm sure at university you can get support.

Isis_Black

I had my assessment today, now no one unless i told then would know of my problems so wiould think why the hell is she getting that help!
Well i have gone with all that the assessor has decided i could do with and of course if at any point i dont need it then i jsut tell them and it would be stopped.
For me i have been offered: Yes a new laptop (that will !!!! some off i am sure) with office in and a planning programme in that will help me plan, prepare, revise etc.
a dictaphone for lectures as i can faze out at times on bad days and miss important facts,
A note taker although i am not comfortable with that as idont want to advertise i ahve a problem, that i will say no to but it has been put down so it is there if i do want it.
Mentoring from a grad who has studied the same subject, if i want or need it.
and yes i have been offered help towards some, not all, of the books i will need, help towards printing and paper and toward internet.

Now let me explain why i was offered this:
I have been diagnosed for a long time now with moderate depression which gives me good days and bad days.
on my good days i am loving life and can go out there and do anything
on my bad days i jsut want to curl up and hide away
i have days when i can get into college but cannot cope in places like the library, through anxiety.
I am trying as hard as i can to get control and keep control and that is all with the help of my doctor, husband and kids (i am a mature student)
I want to really do my university course and am doing all i can to make that possible and this help from DSA is gonig to help with that too.
The laptop is casue mine is too old for the programme i am needing
The book allowance is to help towards me getting the books i need so if i have any time i cannot get into uni i can still try to work at home hence the internet help and the printer ink and paper help.
I am not just going out the get anything and everything i can get i am just trying to make life for myself at uni a bit easier to do.
I will not be going round with a big badge on saying i have a problem, i am not like that and if i can help others i will do, it will be my way of paying back the help i have been given.

Indie_Kid

Isis_Black wrote: »

A note taker although i am not comfortable with that as idont want to advertise i ahve a problem, that i will say no to but it has been put down so it is there if i do want it.

They don't "stand out". I was given one in January and a few times, he has been mistaken for a student.:rotfl:

The only people that know are lecturers.

surfsister

metalgal wrote: »

im heading to university in september and suffer from mental health issues. i telephoned the disability advisor as i know i will need some help. When i phoned she told me that i would need to apply for the DSA and if i was awarded it then she could help me with other things. Im not interested in a laptop etc, but i do want the pastoral support and to be placed in the smallest tutor groups etc. I also want them to know that i have difficulties and am not being lazy. Im applying for the DSA to get the support from the university. My husband is of the opinion "take it if its free" but i don't need it. What a weird system.

the uni doesn't get much funding unless through dsa awards so go for it, the money is here so why not you?

rosalie-lavender

My son has problems with depression and anxiety and has received a lot of support from his university. It was definitely worth telling them. Without the extra support I doubt he would still be there now.

He doesn't receive DSA, he didn't apply for it but the uni have arranged for counselling, extra time in exams and that he can sit in seperate room for exams.
He was given priority for an en suite room after we provided a doctors letter stating why he needed it. We nearly didn't tell the uni thinking depression/anxiety wouldn't be counted as a disability but I am really glad we did.

I am glad to say most of his hall mates have been very supportive. They are a good group that support each other. One in particular was a big support to him in his first week when he was particualarly ill.

He also uses a hi-grade laptop in lectures that cost in excess of the £1,200 quoted here. Some-one who knows he had mental health issues could put two and two together and assume it was paid for by the uni but it wasn't. He saved up for it before he went and paid for it himself.

I think it is definitely worth the OP making the university aware of her problems whether or not she applies for dsa. It will probably need to be backed up by a doctors letter but for us that was £17 well spent.